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קְוֻצָּה

𐤒𐤅𐤑𐤄

qᵉvutstsâh

H6977 noun

SILEX Entry

Root קוץ to cut off, trim, prune, be made short

Definition

A lock or tuft of hair, particularly a bunch or cluster of hair often located on the head; in biblical usage, a forelock or lock of hair as a distinct feature, sometimes construed as a mark of distinction, style, or ritual separation.

Semantic Range

lock of hair, cluster or tuft of hair, forelock, especially a distinctive portion of hair separated or trimmed, cut portion or bunch (esp. hair)

Root / Etymology

The word קְוֻצָּה (qᵉvutstsâh) derives from the root קוץ (quṣ), which generally means 'to cut off, clip, be cut short.' The form is a feminine passive participle, emphasizing something 'that which is cut/trimmed.' Although the core sense of the root means 'to cut/prune,' the noun here refers to the portion separated (i.e., a lock or tuft of hair).

Historical & Contextual Notes

קְוֻצָּה appears only in rare contexts in the Hebrew Bible, notably in Song of Songs 5:2, where it designates a specific portion or lock of hair. Such locks may have cultural or ritual significance, indicating style, status, or Nazarite-like vows, though the term itself is neutral regarding these. It does not appear outside poetic or descriptive narrative, suggesting its use is literary or specialized. The English rendering 'lock' or 'forelock' is generally sufficient, but the nuance of something intentionally separated or clipped is essential. Related terms such as צִיצִת (tsitsit, 'tassel, fringe') indicate similarly 'separated' portions, but with different ritual or legal implications. There is no evidence that the term directly refers to ethnic or religious markers in the biblical period, though hair locks were later used for such purposes (e.g., sidelocks in post-biblical Judaism).

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

feminine passive participle of קוּץ in its original sense; a forelock (as shorn); lock.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

קוץ (q-w-ṣ) — cut off, trim, prune, be made short

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H6972 קוּץ and he spent the summer
H6973 קוּץ the one who loathes
H6974 קוּץ I will rouse
H6975 קוֹץ like a thorn
H6976 קוֹץ the Thorn

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6977-01 קְוּצּוֹתָי/ו֙ qeutsotayv HNcfpc/Sp3ms his locks his trimmed locks 1
H6977-02 קְוֻּצּוֹתַ֖/י qevutsotay HNcfpc/Sp1cs my locks my trimmed locks 1

Occurrences in Scripture

2 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6977-02 Song of Songs 5:2 קְוֻּצּוֹתַ֖/י qevutsotay HNcfpc/Sp1cs my locks my trimmed locks
H6977-01 Song of Songs 5:11 קְוּצּוֹתָי/ו֙ qeutsotayv HNcfpc/Sp3ms his locks his trimmed locks
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